Musical instrument



1927' s. H..- "PERRON MUS I'CAL INSTRUMENT originai Filed bed. a. 1921 SSheegs-Sheet 1 I Aug. 16, 1927.

S. H. PERRON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 3 SheetsSheet 2 l V ,ziwezfiam Original Filed Dec. 8, 1921 Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,106

s. H. PERRON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Dec. 8. 1921 ill.

J71ven?or.,

Patented Aug. 16, 1927. v g

f UNITED STATES PATENTIOFFICE.

' -SAMUEL H. PERRON, OF MENDON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALEXANDER STEINEBT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

musIcAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed December a, 1921,seri a1 No. 520,860. Renewed June 28, 1927.-

This invention relates to musical instruments and has particular referenceto player pianos having means for obtaining various degrees of expression by means as a note 5 sheet having perforations 01' the like to govern the sounding of the notes and other perforations or the like to govern the quality or expression of the notes sounded.

In a copending application filed July 12, I0 1921, Serial No. 484,257, I have disclosed a v player pianohaving means for obtaining various degrees of expression and having means by which a plurality of note sheets having differing systems for obtaining degrees of expression may effect the control of the piano to give a rendition of the notes represented by the expression perforations in the note'sheet. For instance, certain well known types of note sheets each have dif- ZO ferent systems of expression perforations and the apparatus disclosed in said application is adapted to be controlled effectively by all of said types of note sheets.

The key or striker pneumatics of the player action are connected, through control valves, with a windechest; and the wind chest is in communication, through expression-controlling means, with a source of suction as a pump. 1 v

In order to effect the independent control of the bass and treble notes, the wind chest is usually divided into twoparts, with the striker pneumatics adapted to control the lower half or bass notes of the piano connected with the bass side of the wind chest and the striker pneumatics adapted to control, the upper half or, treble notes of the piano connected with the treble side of the wind chest. The suction in the t-wopa'rts of the wind chest is adapted tobe regulated independently whereby normally to accentuate the treble over the bass notes.

In di'lferenttypes of reproducing pianos, each of which may be arranged for control by a particular type of note sheet, the divi-' The wind pianos enumerated and the note sheets adapted to be associated with said instru-' ments are perforated in accordance withthe position of said notes in either the bass or or undesired expression, inasmuch as the roll may be perforated for expression control from the treble side of the wind chest while the particular systemof division employed on the piano mayplacethem on the bass side of the wind chest. While, in many musical compositions these particular notes do not occur and while, in other compositions, the shaded expression is not ordinarily apparent to the average listener, yet it is desirable to obtain a faithful rendition of thesenotes as recorded on any type of note sheet which the piano isv arranged to play. 7

An object of this invention is to provide a musical instrument, as a reproducing piano, with means to controlCpre-determined notes fromeither the bass or treble side of the wind chest, at will. i a A further object of the provide predetermined striker pneumatics with means by which the control thereof r A further objectis generally to improve musical instruments adapted to play note sheets having different systems for control of the instrument. v r

Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticview of a control system for a piano embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticview similar to Fig. 1, and illustrating a modified means for effecting the controlvof predetermined invention is to striker pneumatics from the bass and treble sidesof the wind chest and also illustrating a modified Connection between the wind chest selector valve and the tracker "bar selector valve. I v f Fig. 3' is a diagrammatic view, in sec tion through the wind chest, striker pneumatics, primary valves, and tracker.

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail (if the wind chest with thev pouoh board removed r and illustrates the divisions between thev alves of the middle striker lpneumatics of the wind 'chest.

valves 14, controlled from the primary valves throughthetubes 15 and pouches 15 and the striker Pneumatics 16 controlled by the secondary valves. The wind chest has a bass compartmentA through which appro'rlimately the lower half of the'striker pneumatics are controlled; and said compartment Afis connected with an expression control1ingdevic'e'17 by means of the "tube 18' for regulation ofthe expression of the'accompaniment notes. -The wind chest has a treble compartment B through which the remainder of the striker'fpneu'matics are controlled; and said compartment- '13 is conneared with the expression controlling device 17 by means of the tube 19'for regulation of the theme notes. expression controlling device is "connectedto a source of suction, asfthe pumpQO, by means of the tube 21. The arrangement above outlined is more or less common "practice. In some types of reproducing pianosfthe primary valves 12 are omitted and the traclier ducts are placed directly in communication with the pouches or the secondary valves in an obvious manner. Myinven'tion may-be applie'clto bothafrangemeiits.

I'he wind chest 's "provided with a pouch board 25 which forms a removable cover for the bass and treble compartments A and B, and bears the pouches I5 forthe secondary valves.

In accordance with "my invention, I pm,

vide means by which certain striker pneum'atics may be governed for 'accompanime'n't and theme, at will, whereby to condition the wind chest and associated mechanism toficoriesp'ond "to "conditions under whch 'difieient types of note sheets are ma e.

striker pneumatics for said notes.

compartment and are so connected. connection between the compartments may be 'eflected exter'nally of'the wind chest, as will ed within the wind chest. rajn-geme'nt is illustrated .in Fig. 5 in which In carrying out the invention, I provide a wall 26 which is extended between and in airtight engagement with the walls of the wind chest and which is adapted to be in airtight engagement with the pouch board 25. Said "wall maybe-arranged in-ithe ,wind

'chest' b'etwen, say, the 43rd and 44th notes, or the valves controlling the corresponding With this arrangement all notes below the 44th note will"be"cont i'tiheil frbih the bass compartment-A of thewi nd cheshand correspondsto'the division in the wind chests of pianos 'adaptedto be coiit r'olled by "two well flnio'wn types I of "note sheets.

also similarly arrangen second wall '27 to dividethefwind chest between "the striker pn'eum'atics corresponding, say, to {the 46th and 47th notes "so that all notes above t-he lGth note 'will be ico'ntrolled from the treble om artment; B ofthejwind chest, whereby to condition the piano forfcontrol by a different'type 'of'note sheet. further provide walls 28 and 29 extended between and in "airtight engagement with said "walls '26 and 27 on each side of 'the valve 14 corresponding, "say, to the i lth'not'e. This arrangement offwa'lls-serves to divide the wind chestnot only into the eass-eompsrt est and treble compartment B but 'also into the additional compartments cfcl and e which are *placed in com'municatlon with appropriate striker pneu'inatic s by "means "of the "valves 1'4, 14 and 1-14 which may correspond, say, to the 44th, 45th and 46th i notes T respectively.

Means"aie-proyided for Y placin'gsaid compartments '0, d, and e "in communication with the "bass compartment A and treble compartment 'B,'jor what-is the equivalent, "for *con't'ro'l fro'm the ex ression controlling device 17 for accompaniment 'or' theme, as

desired.

To condition "the system to cooperate in playing a certain *ty'peof roll, compartments 0, bland e ma be associated 'with the bass compartment A. For, say, second type of "'iojl'l the compartment c' -i'nay 'be assoc'iated with the bass compartment A and the com- Inent For, 'say, another't'ypeo'f roll all compartments 0, d EL fiCl B may lie-associated withthe' t'reb le compartment. *B. Forty'pes of roll'sjother than those herein enumerated,

similarprocedure f may be followed.

It will be noted that in the specific arrangement *here'i'n set forth, said compare I 1cnts" ti and care shifted together from the ba'ss'to'the treble'side of the wind chest and therefore may be considered, in efie'chone The hereinafter be' describedyor itmay he effect- This latter arthe pipe is disposed within the treble compartment B serves to establish communication between said compartments d and 'e.

Duplicate tubes 31 are brought out beyond the wind chest from the compartment 0' and are connected to the junction box 32. Duplicate tubes 33 are extended from compartment (1. and duplicate tubes 34 are extended from compartment 6 beyond the wind chest.

Said tubes 33 and 34 areconnected to a common junction box 35 by which both compartments are placed in communication.

Due to the restricted depth of the compartments A and B the duplicate tubes illustrated are provided in order to eliminate a throttling effect on the striker pneumat-ics associated with said compartments 0, (land 6.

Means are provided to associate said chambers c, d and e with the bass and treble compartments A and B respectively, or What is the equivalent, with the bass and treble sides of the expression controlling device 17, at will. Said means includes the stationary'valve block 36 having the aligned recesses37 and 38 in its upper face; Said recess 37 is connected by the tube 39 with the tube 18 extended from the bass compartment A of the wind chest to the bass side of the expression controlling device 17. Said recess 38 is connected by the tube 40 with the tube 19 extended from. the treble compartment B of the Wind chest to the treble side of the expression controlling device. A movable valve block 41 is slidably received upon the upper face of said block 36 to cover the recesses therein; and said movable valve block may be moved on said stationary block' by suitable means as the lever 42 andthe' connecting' link 43. Said movable valve block is arranged to remain in any position in which it is moved by said lever 42.

A flexible tube 44 is carried by said movablevalve block 41 and is in communication with a duct e tended to the lo'werfaoe of said block'by w ich it may be placed in communication with said recesses 37 and 38 of the stationary valve block. Said tube extends to and is in communication with the junction block 32 and consequently with said compartment 0. A similar flexile tube 45' is carried by said movable valve block .adjacent said tube 44 and extends to and is in communication with the junction block 35 and consequently with the compartments (1 and e. Preferably said tubes are larger in internal cross-section than the pipes 31, 33 and 34, to avoid a throttling effect.

In the position of the movable valve block 41 illustrated in Fig. 1, both tubes 44 and 45 are in communication with the recess 37 of the stationary valve block and consequently all of said compartments 0, d and e are connected with the bass compartment A and the bass side of the expression controlling device 17 by means of the tubes 39 and 18. In e such a position, the wind'chestmay be con-.

ditioned for the playing of, say, the Welte A further movement of the movable valve block 41 inthe same direction places both tubes 44 and 45 in communication with recess38 and the compartments 0, d and@ in communication with the treble compartment '13. This arrangement may condition the wind chest for playing another type of roll. Said recess 38 is or may be made of length suitably to admit of further movement of the movable valve block 41 in the same direction without modifying the communication of said tubes 44 and 45 with said recess, for a reason hereinatter to beset forth. a

I may dividethe vacuumv chamber 47 of the primary valves in a manner similar to the dimension of the wind chest above set forth but ordinarilythis will not be necessary and I find that good control of the primary valves is obtained by connecting the vacuum chamber 47 directly with a suitable,

source of suction, asthe pump 20, through the tube48. i"

. The wind chest and associated apparatus above set forth is adapted tobe associated with means to condition the expression 'controlling devices of the "piano for eflfective control by note sheets having difl ering systems of expression perforations or the like and as set forth in my above-named copending application.

In said application the tra'ckeris provided with expression ducts adapted to register with the expression perforationsof a plurality of different t pes of note sheets, as the Ampico, Duorit, etc., and selector means are provided to connect with selected expression devices predetermined tracker ducts corresponding with the expression perforations of a selected type of note sheet, and discard or render ineffective all other expression ducts. I have illustratedmy present invention in combination with such means.

Selector Valve boxes50, 51, 52 and 53 are ,provided,fone for each different type of note sheet to be played. Four are here shown. Tubes 50, 51, 52"" and 53 extend from the expression ducts in the tracker bar 10 to said valve boxes 50, 51, 52, and 53, and said tubes 50* etc., are connected only with the expression duct-s adapted properly to regmatics, means including selector mechanism to group said striker pneumatics in various predetermined combinations for efi'ective control by different types of note sheets, and means connecting said selector mechanisms for conjoint operation.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination of an expression controlling system, means including a selector valve to condition said system for effective control by different types of note sheets, striker pneumatics, means including a selector valve to group said striker pneumatics in various predetermined combinations for effective control by different types of note sheets, a manuallyoperable control device for said valves, and

means connecting said valves with said con-' trol device for conjoint operation.-

4. In a musical instrument, the combinatypes of note sheets, a Wind chesthaving a plurality of compartments, striker pneumatics associated With said Pneumatics, means including a valve to interconnect said compartments selectively to correspond with different types of note sheets, and means to adjust said valves simultaneously.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. I

SAMUEL H. PERRON. 

